Area Farm & Ag Headlines

In a press release March 25th, Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) revealed it delivered sales of $1.7 billion and earnings of $9.3 million in 2012, announced leaders of the milk marketing cooperative owned by 2,900 Upper Midwest dairy farmers. Some 350 voting delegates and guests are reviewing the company’s progress during their annual business meeting that concludes tomorrow at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington, Minn.

AMPI’s core products were the cooperative’s top performers in 2012. Cheese production, which represents 57 percent of total sales, grew by more than 11 million...

Minnesota Farmers Union would like to thank farmers and ranchers for their hard work and dedication in honor of Minnesota Agriculture Week, March 17-23, which was proclaimed by Governor Mark Dayton. The designation is an effort to raise awareness of the positive and important contributions agriculture makes to Minnesota’s economy and its people.

“Farming and ranching is a vital part of Minnesota’s economy,” says Minnesota Farmers Union President Doug Peterson, “Farmers and ranchers are the original green energy. I am proud to stand for farmers in return for all they do for us.”...

General Mills Inc.'s (GIS) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 1.8% as the maker of Cheerios cereal sold more products in its base business, as measured by weight, for the first time in two years, a sign the packaged-food industry is continuing its steady, but, slow improvement.

Excluding acquisitions like Brazilian food company Yoki Alimentos SA, General Mills sales rose 2%, including a one-percentage-point contribution from higher sales volume, a closely watched metric that had been down each quarter since the third quarter of 2011.

Regulations that will limit the harvest of walleye and potentially increase the harvest of northern pike and smallmouth bass will be implemented on Mille Lacs Lake this spring as part of a multi-year effort to rebuild the lake’s legendary walleye population, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

When the walleye season opens May 11, anglers will be able to keep walleye only between 18- and 20-inches or longer than 28 inches. All others must be immediately released. The possession limit is two, with only one longer than 28 inches.

Farmers are making an impact through the Monsanto Fund's America's Farmers Grow Communities. From local FFA chapters and 4-H clubs to fire departments, community centers and schools, over 1,200 rural communities and their deserving organizations are reaping the benefits of the $2,500 awards.To further support counties that have been declared disaster areas by the USDA due to drought, winning farmers in these counties can choose where to direct an additional $2,500 donation based on community needs that surfaced because of the drought.

The Minnesota Soybean in conjunction with the R.E.A.L story kicked off their first TV campaign earlier this year, working to build high message awareness and drive traffic to TheREALStoryMN.com. This campaign focuses on urban residents, with an audience of the Twin Cities metro area, working to unveil the urban public thoughts in regards to agriculture and the business of farming.

This campaign is running on a variety of stations so keep an eye out, but you can also view the TV spot here as well.

P.S. Does a tv star look familiar? You might recognize Worthington's very own...

Via PR Newswire, it was reported that Land O'Lakes released its 2012 financial results, reporting record sales and net earnings of $14.1 billion and $241 million, respectively.

Not only this, but the company returned $113 million to its members for the fourth consecutive year of returning over $100 million to its members. Additionally, three of the business segments achieved record sales and the Crop Inputs segment had a record earnings in addition to record sales.

The strong results in 2012 continue a trend of exceptional performance. The years of 2007 to 2012 represent the...

In a press release via the United State Department of Agriculture and the Farm Service Agency, Glenn Schafer, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director, reminds producers that the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended the authorization of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) for many Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodity, disaster, and conservation programs through 2013. FSA administers these programs.

The extended programs include, among others: the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (DCP) and Average...

Minnesota West Community & Technical College customized training will host a Farmer Spring Break Conference featuring Dr. Michael Swanson and Ed Usset on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the Minnesota West Worthington Campus. There will be two breakout sessions in the morning and featured speakers in the afternoon. Registration costs $89 and includes morning breakout sessions, afternoon speakers, breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffee.

During the next few weeks, stay tuned to AM 730 KWOA as Radio Works ag broadcaster Sonja Langseth will be catching up with...

University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center Integrated Pest Management Specialist Bruce Potter along with Ken Ostlie are seeking volunteers for a black cutworm pheromone trapping network across the southern half of Minnesota.

Involvement would include checking a trap on a daily basis for an approximate six-week period (depending on planting progress). If you are interested in participating, please contact Bruce with your name and the county where you would be willing to run a trap.